Amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Regulation enter into force

Amendments to the Nationality Regulation enter into force on July 3 by introducing improvements in the process of assigning nationality and making it more just and swift for the applicant.

The changes clarify what are the "bonds of effective connection to the national community", a requirement that since 2015 is provided for in the Nationality Law for the attribution of Portuguese nationality to grandchildren of Portuguese residents abroad.

The diploma also simplifies the process of assigning nationality, especially as regards proof of knowledge of the language, presuming that citizens of countries where Portuguese has been an official language for at least 10 years and have resided in Portugal for 5 years, know the Portuguese language, exempting them from the Portuguese language proof of knowledge.

The requirement for a criminal record certificate is also simplified in cases where the applicant has not lived in the country of which he or she is a national or natural person after the age of 16 and proves residence in another country after that age, not having to submit the criminal record certificates of those countries.

Decree-Law No. 71/2017 also provides for the terms under which the Central Registry Office obtains information "on the existence of a danger or threat to national security or defense, or involvement in activities related to the practice of terrorism, in accordance with its law '.